You’ve probably seen the name Carlo scrawled on notes or whispered by dying NPCs while playing through the twisted streets of Krat. If you’re like most players, you spent the first half of the game assuming "P" is just a steampunk Pinocchio. But the reality is way darker. Carlo isn't just a name; he is the ghost haunting every gear and spring inside your chest.
Honestly, the story of Carlo Lies of P is what elevates this from a standard Soulslike to a genuine tragedy. It’s not just about a puppet wanting to be a boy. It’s about a grieving, narcissistic father trying to "fix" a son who never wanted to be fixed in the first place.
Who was the real Carlo?
Long before the Puppet Frenzy turned Krat into a bloodbath, Carlo was just a kid. A human kid. He grew up in the Monad Charity House, an orphanage that wasn't exactly a five-star hotel. His father, Geppetto, was a "genius" engineer who spent way more time with his puppets than with his flesh-and-blood son.
Basically, Carlo was lonely.
He didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps. He didn't care about clockwork. Instead, he wanted to be a Stalker—one of the city's legendary monster hunters. He eventually became friends with a boy named Romeo. You might know Romeo better as the King of Puppets, the boss who tries to communicate with you through a weird stage play before you beat his head in.
They were best friends. They trained together. They promised to protect each other. But then the Petrification Disease hit.
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The death of a boy
There’s a lot of debate about how Carlo actually died. If you look at the memories on the beach near the end of the game, it looks like he died during the "Rose Estate Incident." Some people think he died from the disease; others believe it was a violent encounter. Either way, Geppetto wasn't there to save him. The guilt from being a terrible father drove Geppetto over the edge. He didn't just want to mourn; he wanted a do-over.
The secret link between Carlo and P
Here is where things get weird. You, the player character, are not technically Carlo. But you aren't exactly not him either.
Geppetto created P to be a vessel. He took Carlo’s Ergo—which is basically a person’s soul crystallized into a blue battery—and stuffed it into the "P-Organ." He then built a body that looked like a "better" version of his son.
Ever notice how NPCs keep saying you look familiar? Or how the cat in the hotel eventually lets you pet it as you become more "human"? That’s the Ergo of Carlo Lies of P waking up.
- The Nameless Puppet: This is the most metal part of the lore. The final boss (if you refuse to give up your heart) is widely believed to be Carlo’s actual, physical corpse. Geppetto preserved it and fused it with puppet parts. It’s a mindless, violent husk because it has no soul. You have the soul; it has the body.
- The "Good Boy" Directive: Geppetto didn't just want Carlo back. He wanted a version of Carlo that would actually obey him. He hated that the real Carlo was a rebellious Stalker. By turning him into a puppet, Geppetto finally got the control he always craved.
Why the "Real Boy" ending is actually a horror movie
If you reach the end of the game and choose to give Geppetto your heart, you get the "Real Boy" ending. On paper, it sounds like a win. You become a human! You and Geppetto walk off into the sunset!
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But look closer.
When you "become" Carlo, the first thing you do is murder every single friend you made at Hotel Krat. Antonia, Venigni, even the cat—they’re all slaughtered so Geppetto can replace them with obedient puppet versions. The "Carlo" that wakes up isn't the brave kid who wanted to be a Stalker. He's a mindless, smiling doll that does exactly what daddy says.
It’s easily the most depressing ending in the game. You’ve basically traded your soul to satisfy a madman's ego.
The truth about Romeo and the King of Puppets
You can't talk about Carlo without talking about Romeo. In New Game Plus, the game gives you a "decoder" that lets you understand what the puppet bosses are saying. It changes everything.
Romeo recognizes you immediately. When he reaches out his hand during the cutscene, he’s not trying to fight; he’s trying to say, "Carlo, it's me! Your best friend!" He’s the one who was actually trying to stop the Frenzy. Geppetto used the Grand Covenant (the laws that govern puppets) to force the puppets to kill, but Romeo was using his own will to try and protect the remaining humans.
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You spend the whole game thinking you're the hero, but for the first half, you're basically Geppetto's hitman, taking out the only people (well, puppets) who actually cared about the real Carlo.
How to find all the Carlo lore
If you want to piece this together yourself, you have to be a bit of a detective. The game doesn't hand it to you.
- The Portraits: Pay attention to the painting of the boy you find. As you lie more, the nose on the painting grows. This is a direct nod to the original fairy tale, but in this world, it signifies your heart gaining weight—becoming more like Carlo’s original human heart.
- The Beach Memories: Don't rush through the Isle of Alchemists. Those ghostly visions on the shore are the key to everything. They show Carlo’s last moments and his strained relationship with his father.
- Loading Screens: Seriously. Some of the most important facts about the Petrification Disease and Carlo’s history are tucked away in the text while the game is loading.
What to do next in Krat
If you've finished your first run, the best way to appreciate the Carlo Lies of P storyline is to jump straight into New Game Plus. Listening to the puppet bosses with the ability to understand their language turns the game into a completely different experience. You’ll realize that the "monsters" you were killing were actually trying to save the city from your father.
Also, make sure you collect all the records. Listening to music increases your "Humanity" points, which is the only way to unlock the "Rise of P" ending. That’s the only ending where you actually honor Carlo’s memory instead of just becoming a tool for Geppetto.
Check your collectible tab for any "Letters from the Front" or "Monad Charity House" notes you might have missed. They fill in the gaps of Carlo's childhood that the main cutscenes skip over.